Buffer for motor-vehicles.



G. A. LWN.

BUFFER FORI-MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I 2, I 9 I 5.

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narran srnvrns rnrnrrr ernten,

GEORGE ALBERT LY 0N, OF PHLLADELPHI., PENNSYLVNIA, .ASSIGNOR TO LYON '.bl'Oil'- SKU) COMPANY, OlE PHlLlDELPl-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATEON 0F PENN SYLVAN 1A., I

@riginal application filed .April 21, 1913, Serial No` 762,548.

Specication of Letters Patent.

'BUFFER F033. MTOR-VEI-ICLES.

Patented Nov. 2d, MMV?.

Divided and this application tiled November 12,19%. Serial No, 61,018.

To all "wlw/mi 'it may concern:

lle it known that l, GEORGE ALBERT LYON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain improvements in Butters for Motor- Vehicles, (the same being a division of my application. Serialwllo. 762,548, led April 2l, 1933,) ot which the following is a specication.

rl`he object of my invention is to provide a simple and edective form of bilder for motor vehicles which, while vertically rigid, will oppose a resilient resistance to obstructions in the path ot' the vehicle, can be readily applied to or removed from the trame of the vehicle, and is equally available for use with frames having their side members ot diderent sizes or shapes and at different distances apart.

'lihis object l attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view showing in dotted lines the forward 'end of a motor vehicle and in full lines my improved butler applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top view et the buiiier and parts ci' the side members of the vehicle 'frame to which it is applied;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly inside elevation and partly in section, on the line o o, Fig. 2, and on a larger scale; y

Fig. l is a perspective view of the butter detached from the vehicle frame, and

lfig. 5 is an enlarged section of certain overlappin members of the bilder and ci a clamp w iereby they are. maintained in rigid vertical relation to one another'.

My improved buier comprises two similar butreversely disposed springs, one carried by one side member of the vehicle frame and the other by the opposite side member thereet, to which they are secured by suitable tastenings. Each of these springs is composed, by preference, of a single rectangular bar of steel or other resilient metad, said4 bar being ct greater Width than thickness and thegreater dimension ot the bar being disposed vertically.

Each of the springs comprises a trans verse front member 1 and a rearwardly eX- tending member 2, the latter being parallel with the sidelmember ci the trame (i or the car to which it is-secured, and this rearwardly extending or supporting member 2 may as indicated in the drawing be con nected to the front or impact member ot the bufier b v a bent and oiiset intermediate portion so that one part of the-bud'er may clear jabe other vertically at crossing points, these intermediate parts of the butler members being also preferably given an inclined position as indicated. The transversely ei;- tending trent member l is, by preference, ot such length as to have its tree end extend laterally and also preferably curved rearwardly so as to extend beyond and act as 'a guard tor the front wheel on the opposite side of the ear, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The rearwardly extending member 2 of each spring butler is secured to its correspending member 6 of the vehicle frame by means of a yoke bolt 7 and a hook bolt 8, the yoke bolt 7 embracing the frame member and-having legs passing through openings in the member 2 of the spring, and threaded for the reception ot securing nuts 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hociir bolt 8 overlaps the top of the t 'ame member ti and passes down through an eye l() formed at the rear end oit the member 2 of the spring, this portion ot the bolt being threaded at its lower end for the reception of a securing nut 1l, as likewise shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The transversely extending front members l of the springs overlap and reinforce one another and lie side by side so as to increase the yielding resistance of this central or impact portion of the butler, and in order to rigidly retain them in proper vertical relation to one another and yet permit tranm verse adjustment ot one in respect to the other in adapting the butler to cars having side members at different distances apart, said overlapping, front members of the springs are engaged by clamping yolres or clips 5 each having parallel jaws through which passes a bolt 5, this boltjhaving a head hearing upon one ot' said jadis and beagain tightened to rigidly conne Vthe swings.

The springs constituting the buii'er are practically rigid in a vertical direction, have a vertically-rigid support upon the vehicle frame, and are ri 'dly held in vertical relation to one another by means of the clamping yokes 5, hence the buffer will always preserve its proper vertical relation to the side members of the machine frame and to the wheels and will be free from any tendency to sag, but will, at the same time, oppose a resilient resistance-to fore and aft strains or to blows upon it applied in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2.

I claim:

l. The automobile bui'er consisting of two similar 'integral spring steel strips having many times greater vertical width than thiclmess to render theni relativel rigii vertically while resiliently yielding inhori zontal directions, each of said strips having a, rearwardly extending attaching member to be attached to the side member oli-the'fra'ine of the automobile and having a transversely extending' impact receiving member and a free end extending laterally into protective position in front of the automobile wheel and rearwardly curved, the impact receiving members of said strips overlapping substantially 'throughout the distancebetween the side frames oi the automobile to stiilen and strengthen this part of the bu'er and frictionally gripping connecting clips adjustably connecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement, said attaching members being connected to said impact receiving members by bent offset portions of said strips so that one part of the builier clears theother vertically at the crossing point.

2. The automobile buffer consisting ofitwo similar `integral spring steel strips having many times greaten verticalcXwidth than thickness to render them relatively rigid vertically while resiliently yielding in horizontal directions7 each of said strips having a' rearwardly. extending attaching member to be attached to the side member of the frame of the automobile and having a transversely extending impact receiving member and a free end extending laterally into rotective position in front'of the automo ile, the impact receiving members of said strips overlapping substantially throughout the distance between the side frames of the automobile to stiii'en and strengthen this part of the buffer and frictionally gripping connecting clips adjustably connecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement.

3. The automobile buiier consisting of two similar integral spring steel strips having many 'times greater vertical width than thickness to render them relatively rigid vertically while resiliently yielding in horizontal directions, each of said strips having a rearwardly extending attaching member to be attached to the side member of the nectingclips adjustably connecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement.-

4. The automobile buffer consisting of two similar integral springs rc itively rigid vertically While resiliently yielding in hori zontal directions, each of said springs having aA rearwardly extending attaching member to be attached to the automobile and having a transversely extending impact receiving member anda free end extending laterally into protective position in front of the auto mobile wheel and rearwardly curved, the impact receiving members 01"' said springs overlappingf'substantially throughout the distance between the side frames of the antomobile tostiifen and strengthen this part of the buffer and connecting means connecting said impact receiving members and holdingl them against relafi ve vertical movement.

5. The automobile buffer consisting' oit two similar integral springs relatively rigid vertically while resiliently yielding in hori-- zontal directions, each of said springs having a rearwardly extending attachin mem- 'ber to be attached to the automobile and having a transversely extending impact receiving member and a free end extending laterally into protective position in front of art of the buffer and conthe automobile wheel, the impact receiving members of said l springs overlapping to stiien and, strengthen this part of the butter and connecting means adjustably connecting said impact receiving members and holding .them against relative vertical movement.

6. The automobilebuiiier.consisting of two similar integral springs, each of said springs having a' rearwardly extending attaching member to be attached to the automobile and havin a transversely extending impact receiving member anda free end extending laterally into protective position in front of the automobile wheel, the impact receiving members of said springs overlapping to stiien and strengthen this part of the butter and connecting meansconnecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement.

7. The automobile buiier coiisistingot' two similar integral springs, each of said springs having a rearwardly extending attaching member tobe attached to the automobile and having a Atransversely extending iinpact receiving member and a free end extending laterally into protective position in Ait front of theautomobile wheel, the impact receiving members of said springs overlapping to stiilcn and strengthen this part of the butter and connecting means adjustably connecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement` said attaching members being connected to said impact receiving members by bent otlset portions ot' said springs so that one part of the buli'er clears the other vertically at the crossingr point.

8. The automobile butler consisting of two oppositely disposed vertically rigid flat spring strips, Veach adapted to be secured 'to the vehicle and having a transverse member, said transverse members overlapping and reinforcing each other and having free ends extending to and ending in a protective position in front ot' the wheels of the vehicle. 9. The automobile butler comprising vertically rigid springs having transverse members and rearwardly extending attaching members. said transverse members being adjustably connected to reinforce each other and having free ends extending to and ending in a protective position in front of the wheels of the automobile and means Jfor securing the rearwardly extending attaching members to the frame of the automobile.

l0. rihe automobile bul'er comprising ver tically rigid springs having transverse menibers and rearwardly extending attaching members, said transverse members overlapping and 'reinforcing each other and connected together in vertically `rigid alinement and having free ends extending to and ending in a protective position in front oi the Wheels of the automobile.

ll. The automobile buffer comprising two oppositely disposed vertically rigid dat spring strips each adapted to be attached to the vehicle and having free ends extending7 to and ending in a protective position in front of the 'Wheels of the automobile and adjustably connected to another part of the butler to form a front impact member eX- tendinp; in front of the vehicle.

l2. The automobile butler comprising op positely-A disposed vertically rigid spring strips each adapted to be secured to the v el hicle and ,having an outwardly extending freeend and adj'ustably connected in ver tically rigid alinernent to a transversely extending portionjof 'the butler to enable the buer to be attached to vehicles having attaching portions at difierent distances pi. The automobile butler comprising two cppositely disposed vertically rigid spring strips Iadapted to be attached to the vehicle and having free ends extending to and ending in a protective position in front of the wheels of the automobile and adjust-1 ably connected to another part of the buier to form a front member of the batter and held in vertically rigid alinenient therewith.

14. The automobile buffer having a cen.- tral reinforced impact portion comprising a plurality of overlapping vertically rigid fiat spring strips adjustably connected' gether in a vertically rigid manner, tvv'o of' said strips having free ends extendingto and ending lin a protective position in front of the wheels of the vehicle and means by which said bui'er is adapted to be secured to the supporting member of' vehicles, said binier being adapted to be comiected to ve hicle supporting members located at didierent distances apart.

l5. The automobile bud-er having,p central reinforced impact portion coinpraising,` a plurality of overlapping spring strips adjustably connected together, two of said strips havingl free ends erntendingp to and ending in a protective position in trent the wheels ot the vehicle and means by which said butler is adapted to be secured to the supporting members of vehicles, said buffer being adapted to be connected to vehicle supporting' members located at ditl'erent distances apart.

1G. automobile heiter having; cenW trai reinforced impact portion comprising a plurality of overlapping spring strips adjustably connected together, two oi said strips having free ends extending to and .ending in a protective position in 'liront oit the wheels of `the vehicle and means by "which said buffer is adapted to be secured the supportingmembers of vehicles.

17. lThe automobile butler consisting' of tivo oppositely disposed 'vertically rigiddat spring strips each having; a transverse inane.T bor extending to and ending; in a protective position in iront oi? the Wheels otn the vehicle, means adjustably connecting said transverse members so that they overlap and reinforce eachother in the central impact portionot the buiier, and means to secure said spring strips to the vehicle.

18. rlhe automobile buffer consisting; oft two oppositely disposed vertically rigid spring strips each having a transverse mein ber extendingr to and ending in a protective position in front of the Wheels et the vehicle, said transverse members overlHoping` and reinforcing each other throughout the central impact'portion of the buiifer extendingr substantially between the side irarnes ot the vehicle, and means to secure said spring; strips to the vehicle.

i9. lThe automobile butter having ccntral reinforced impact meinbercornprising a plurality of averlappinigl vertically rigid spring;- strips afili'nstably connect' l to be substaiitiaiiy vertically throngrhn out said reinforced petition and to have their free ends located at varying distances together apart, two of said strips having free ends extending to and ending at the sides of the buier and means by which said buffer member is adapted to be secured to. the supp0`rting members of vehicles located at diiferent distances apart.

' 20. The automobile buffer having a central reinforced impact member comprising a plurality of overlapping vertically rigid spring strips adjustably connected together to be substantially vertically rigid throughout said reinforced portion and to have their free ends located at varving distances apart, two of said strips having free ends extendingr to and ending at the sides of the buffer and means by which said buffer member is ada ated to be secured to the vehicle.

2. The automobile buffer having a central reinforced impact member comprising a plurality of overlapping vertically rigid spring stripsrconnected l together, in vertically rigid alinement, two of said strips having fred ends extending to-and ending at the sides of the buffer and means by which said bulier member is adapted to be secured to the vehicle.

.In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing `Witnesses.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

Witnesses KATE A. BEADLE, 4 HAMILTON D. 'IUnNEia 

